It is a wonderful gift for Anishinaabe to be given a baby; therefore, they need to treat him or her with love and respect. I am going to talk about how well I was treated by those old people who raised me. Those old people started taking care of me when I was four months old. I am going to talk about what they taught me and how they took care of me as a baby.

The Manidoog have a lot of compassion for our Anishinaabe babies. The Anishinaabe were given ceremonies where the tobacco goes out soon after the birth of a child to the Manidoog. That tobacco goes out to wherever those Manidoog sit. That is where the baby will be given spiritual support in their future.

It is on the fourth day after birth that the parents put down tobacco and food for their child. This ceremony held four days after the birth of the child is called, “Oshki-daangishkang i’iw aki a’aw abinoojiinh.” After the food and tobacco have been offered and sent to the Manidoog, the baby is then taken outside and his or her little feet are placed directly onto bare ground. This is where the child has first contact with the earth and where his or her spirit leaves an impression on the earth.

At that point, the tobacco has already gone out to the Manidoo within the earth. So, when the baby’s little feet are placed on the ground, it is at that time that the Manidoo within the earth extends her hand gifting the baby with the spiritual energy that will assist the child in his or her future.

Also at that time, conscientious parents will give namesakes to their child. The baby is given an Anishinaabe name at this time. By giving the baby an Anishinaabe name, you are nurturing the Anishinaabe spirit within that child.

The elders said, “When a child cries a lot, they are asking to be given an Anishinaabe name.” It is through this ceremony that the baby is given spiritual nourishment for his or her future, and also at this time the baby is given Manidoog who will take special care of them. These Manidoog will be made available to the child by those selected as namesakes. Those old men said, “Every Anishinaabe has a Manidoo or Manidoog that watch over them. They would not exist on this earth without them.”

Those who have been selected as namesakes are given tobacco and a plate of food placed in front of them. Each of those chosen as namesakes for the child, if they were able to speak Ojibwe, would offer the tobacco and food placed in front of them to the Manidoog who take care of them asking, “Please take care of my new namesake and have compassion for him or her as well.”

This is all I am going to write for now. There are additional ceremonies that Anishinaabe were given to help their children in their future. If it is meant to be, we will finish writing about the other ways that Anishinaabe was helped.